New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress will fight the Congress and the CPI(M) in West Bengal but the three parties will unite at the national level, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at a mega opposition rally in the Capital Wednesday.
“I am used to fighting the Congress and CPI(M) in West Bengal. I am confident of winning all the 42 Lok Sabha seats. But at the national level we will fight together,” Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress chief, said at the rally in Jantar Mantar organised by the Aam Aadmi Party.
“All regional parties that are strong in their respective states can contest on their own there, like the AAP can fight on all seats in Delhi, but at the national level all of us are together,” she added.
Banerjee’s assertion that the Trinamool will not join hands with the Congress at the state comes close on the heels of her party MPs getting into a fracas with Congress MP from West Bengal, Adhir Chowdhury, when he raised the Saradha scam in the Lok Sabha Wednesday.
The Trinamool chief also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, calling them “Gabbar Singhs.”
“Everyone is afraid of Gabbar Singh, there are two of them — Modi and Shah. Democracy has become Namocracy,” she said. “The situation today is worse than that of Emergency.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader, N. Chandrababu Naidu, also lent support to the mega rally. “I am asking you, are you prepared to defeat this government or not?” Naidu asked the crowd. “We are ready. Narendra Modi will be the ex-prime minister.”
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Opposition unity gathers steam
The mega rally comes just two days after Naidu held a day-long fast in the Capital to demand special category status for his state. The occasion had turned into a show of opposition unity with the presence of several leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh, former PM and Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda.
Wednesday’s rally was also attended by NCP’s Sharad Pawar, DMK’s Kanimozhi, RLD’s Sharad Yadav, Congress’ Anand Sharma, SP’s Ram Gopal Yadav, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja among others.
No leader from the BSP, however, attended the rally. AAP organisers confirmed that the BSP was also invited to participate in the rally.
In January, Banerjee had organised a “United India” rally in Kolkata to bring non-BJP opposition parties on a common platform. The rally was attended by over a dozen opposition parties.
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She may have planned it all in her mind and with Sonia. But the voters everywhere will be confused. These double dealing alliances are not the voters’ cup of Tea.
1. Though opposition parties like Trinamool Congress (TC), TDP, AAP and NCP wish to join hand with Congress to defeat BJP, not one of them is comfortable with possible ascendance of the Congress. It will be rather naive to expect that these regional parties would be ready to join Congress to form a government in the Centre or accept Rahul Gandhi. One should not overlook fact that each of these parties is a competitor of Congress in their respective States. It is clear that BSP-SP alliance will not be of any comfort to Congress. 2. Indeed the possible scenario after 2019 Lok Sabha (LS) election is scary. Alliances are for sharing of power but they cannot last long. 3. As a citizen-voter I am not convinced that after 2019 Lok Sabha election, alliance government mainly of regional parties (as Congress participation in such a government is uncertain) would be in a position to provide a stable government or good governance. Reality is that not one of these regional parties has any national economic or political agenda. These parties have no common programme to deal with many issues. In fact, politicians like Shri Chandra Babu Naidu, Smt Mamata Banerjee, Smt Mayawati and other leaders of regional parties have always a limited objective-to remain in power in their respective State (Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, or whichever it is). 4. As a citizen-voter I will therefore be happy if the Congress & BJP form an alliance government sinking all their differences. This can happen only if dynastic politics is abandoned by the Congress party. I am aware of fact that BJP & Congress coming together is an improbable development but in national interest it may be necessary to do so.
A very fair articulation of CM Mamata Banerjee”s political stance. She will maximise her political space in Bengal, keep open her legitimate personal ambition, and work for a coordinated opposition campaign that prevents votes from being split. The Congress, too, which has far higher stakes, should be able to take a more enlightened approach, not start day dreaming in UP. The mother of all battles lies ahead.